Outer Space - A New Dimension of the Arms Race

Bhupendra Jasani

• Publisher: Routledge
• Year: 2021
• Print ISBN: 9780367627218
• eBook ISBN: 9781000263411
• Edition: 1
• Topic: History
• Subtopic: Military & Maritime History
• Index: History

This book, first published in 1982, analyses the prospects of the Cold War superpowers arms race spilling into outer space. A SIPRI-organized symposium in 1981 discussed the consequences of the militarization of outer space, as well as further arms control and disarmament measures. This book presents the findings of 20 eminent scientists, lawyers and diplomats from 12 different countries.

PART I
Military space technology and its implications

by

Bhupendra Jasani

Chapter 1.
Introduction

Man’s curiosity about the ‘heavens’ dates back, perhaps, to the beginning of history. Initially, he fulfilled a desire to see into the depths of space by using a variety of telescopes, but the ultimate desire has been to launch himself into space. The realization of this dream did not depend only on the availability of powerful rockets but also on the understanding of the laws governing the motions of bodies round the planets.

Nearly three and a half centuries ago, the work of two scientists radically changed the thoughts of mankind in many respects. These men were Johann Kepler and Isaac Newton. Kepler, a German astronomer and mathematician, worked out the mathematical laws that govern the motion of bodies in orbit round the Earth and other planets and stars. His work was published between 1609 and 1619.

While Kepler’s laws described the planetary motions they did not explain them. It took the genius of Newton to unravel the mysteries of planetary motion. Between 1665 and 1667 he worked out the law of gravitation, the laws of motion and the basic notions of differential calculus. However, this work was only published 20 years later and it was not until some two and a half decades ago that the technology became available for applying the laws evolved by Kepler and Newton to artificial Earth satellites.

With the launch of the Soviet Sputnik in 1957, the space age dawned. Since then spacecraft have turned out to be more important as military tools than as a means of satisfying man’s desire to explore our solar system. In fact, space has become a crucial environment for the military—so much so that if the satellites of a space power were to be destroyed its military capability would be drastically reduced. This is because artificial Earth satellites are the essential eyes, ears and nerves of the fighting forces of today. For example, satellites orbiting close to the Earth identify potential military targets and determine their precise location. Spacecraft not only relay military messages over long (or short) distances but are also able to guide modern missiles, aircraft and naval vessels carrying lethal nuclear and conventional weapons to their targets with almost pin-point accuracies.

Satellites are so much a part of modern weapon systems that they have been added to the already long list of potential military targets in any future war between the two powers. They are such important targets that the crippling or destruction of one or more satellites by the enemy would be tantamount to a declaration of war; war on Earth could thus start in space. Both sides have some conventional anti-satellite (ASAT) weapons and both are investigating various other methods of destroying each other’s satellites, including weapons which up to now were strictly in the province of science fiction writers. Among these are high-energy laser and particle-beam weapons. Neither side has deployed such weapons in space. However, because there appears to be a sound scientific basis for such systems and since considerable technological advances have already been made in some necessary areas, these exotic weapons could actually be orbiting the Earth in the foreseeable future.

There is no doubt that the advances in space technology have added considerable impetus to the arms race but, in addition, these advances are contributing significantly to the current change from policies of ‘MAD’ (Mutual Assured Destruction) to those which actually consider fighting a nuclear war. These implications are discussed in Chapter 5.

First, however, for a better appreciation of the threat inherent in the military use of space, a brief account of space technology and its applications is given. In order to allow for a better understanding of this technology, Chapter 2 discusses some of the basic concepts of space flight in near-Earth orbit. A brief review of various modes of propulsion and development of launch vehicles in various countries is given in Chapter 3. Chapter 4 provides an overview of the types of military activity in outer space, including mann...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Half Title
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Original Title Page
• Original Copyright Page
• Preface
• Contents
• Abstracts
• Part I Military space technology and its implications
• Part II Space technology, crisis monitoring and arms control
• Appendix 1A. Photographic reconnaissance satellites launched between 1977 and 1981
• Appendix 1B. Electronic reconnaissance satellites launched between 1977 and 1981
• Appendix 1C. Ocean surveillance and oceanographic satellites launched between 1977 and 1981
• Appendix 1D. Early warning satellites launched between 1977 and 1981
• Appendix 1E. Communications satellites launched between 1977 and 1981
• Appendix 1F. Navigation satellites launched between 1977 and 1981
• Appendix 1G. Meteorological satellites launched between 1977 and 1981
• Appendix 1H. Interceptor/destructor satellites launched between 1977 and 1981
• Appendix 2. Six treaties that contain provisions aimed at some form of arms control in space:
• Appendix 3. Glossary of terms
• Appendix 4. Abbreviations
• Index